From grave despair to audacity of hope: Why these elections matter

Yesterday morning, Sumeya, my seven-year-old daughter, came running to me smiling."I want to vote for Raila Odinga and you," she said. I was surprised because at home, we discuss politics in general, but as a rule, not much of it. Bewildered, I asked; "Why do you say that?" Her reply was that everyone at her school supports NASA."We love NASA," she said before running off to play with her brother.

This passion for elections among most Kenyans, including children, can only be described in terms of the historical context that defines hopes for the future. Why are people agitated? What is causing the unease within the ruling class? Jane S. Shaw in her book Public Choice Theory, explains that, "Public choice takes the same principles that economists use to analyse people's actions in the marketplace and applies them to people's actions in collective decision-making."

Maslow's theory

For many of us, it is time to make a change at the ballot. There is a growing unease within the ruling class and the people feel that they have in their hands a chance to shape their future. That unease has been triggered by a series of unmet needs (promises) at the last electoral cycle. This reminds me of Abraham Maslow's proposal in his 1943 paper, 'A Theory of Human Motivation' in Psychological Review famously known as Maslow's hierarchy of needs. According to him, the bottom four levels of the pyramid are also called 'deficiency needs' because a person does not feel anything if they are met, but becomes anxious if they are not.

The scenarios currently playing out in the country mirror a situation where needs such as food and security are unmet (the bottom of the pyramid), hence the widespread impatience with the ruling class. The truth is that people look at issues from an economic point of view. But most importantly, the despair among voters that is making people anxious to vote for whichever party can be interpreted in light of Ms Shaw's Public Choice Theory and Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Citizens all over the world make political decisions based on their needs. These needs range from means to livelihood and security. When people feel insecure, they become desperate and sometimes make decisions that might appear irrational, but in fact are based on very realistic expectations. A man I recently met told me he would not be voting for the current administration, accusing it of failing to contain the high cost of living.

Bone of contention

His bone of contention is that the Jubilee-led administration has the tools to contain inflation but is blaming it on factors beyond our borders. Many other issues also concern most Kenyans. For example, many parents with secondary school-going children can hardly pay their school fees. The situation is so bad in some parts of this country that public boarding schools were unable to feed students last term. The reason is that most of the parents cannot afford to pay fees, undermining the budget. With no food to feed them, teachers sent students home.

Besides that, the government has heaped praise on its health care plans. But then, there still exist many Kenyans without access to medical care. For them, falling ill is a risky affair because medical attention will be hard to come by. Many educated Kenyans are without jobs and essentially a livelihood. They want change. They are clutching at the hope for a better future. The feeling that their vote will get them out of their misery is motivating them to vote. Many Kenyans today consider the current political establishment elitist and out of touch with their concerns. What they do with their vote tomorrow will determine how they will be governed henceforth.Voters would rather support a government that gives them hope that things are going to get better tomorrow than one that promises the same thing over and over. The hope they yearn for is not really far-fetched. All of us need a government that is responsive to our needs. Raila Odinga has understood these basic needs. Politicians have made their pitch. It is now time for the voters to make their choice.

Mr Guleid is the deputy governor, Isiolo [email protected]